Japan, heaven of foods and beverages

Not only is Japan one of the most attractive destination by developed economy, special hieroglyphics and traditional costume called “Kimono”, but it is also as known as cuisine heaven with numerous local foods and conventional recipes. The most common ingredients in each traditional meal include rice, fish, seafood and vegetable with seasonal ingredients. This is the low-down on Japan that extremely attracts various tourists to come here.

1. Sushi

Recently, sushi is one of popular food all over the world and appeared in many menus of restaurant, even with Japanese. Traditional sushi referred from the way of vinegar rice (shari) with vegetable, egg and fish or seafood.

Nowadays, there are various kinds of sushi with a wide range of flavor which are suitable for any appetite.

Nigiri

A small rice with a latter of fish or other seafood, sometimes egg, on top. Some popular kinds of Nigiri are ohtoro, chuutoro and toro.

Gunkan

Surrounding diverse fish eggs is seaweed and the mixture makes up a tiny cup.

Norimaki

Looks like kimbap in Korea because it consists of rice rolled by dried seaweed, but sushi usually has seafood or raw fish inside. This kind of sushi is not regular in Japan although it can be found in almost foreign restaurants.

Temaki

It is a small cone but has a significant length.

Oshizushi

Almost with pressed rice is bisected by pressed fish, and all of them are inside a wooden box

Inari

A simple but cheap sushi.

Chirashi

Recipe represents the combination of traditional sushi with mushroom in a bowl

2. Udon

One of the thickest noodles in Japan, Udon attracts both domestic visitors and foreigners. Its resource is wheat flour.

There are various kinds of Udon and separated by cold and hot dishes, followed method of cooking.

Each kind of Udon has specialized recipe which is very wonderful, that’s why it is popular in almost Japanese traditional restaurants. It has a range of price levels, even under 500 yen. You can find some low-cost Udon near train station that is easy to order and enjoy delicious noodle, or self-catering chains also has a special way of eating. For example, you must collect one dish and choose exact items which you like in your dish, likely tempura, rice balls or oden.

3. Tempura

Tempura are pieces of lightly battered, deep fried seafood and vegetables. Its origin is from Portuguese and now popular in Japan and even in other countries. Beside of main dishes, it can be accompanied with other dishes like noodles and rice.

Tourists can find easily in specialized restaurants as known as tempura-ya. It is where customers sit around the counter to offer directly to our chef, then see what they are cooking. Other small restaurants namely izakaya, family or noodles restaurants also have tempura with low-cost, average cost is about under 1000 yen.

Way of eating tempura is also common question. Tempura should be dipped into the sauce for more tasty. Almost restaurants are famous for their sauce because almost recipes of particular tempura are the same, exclude their own sauce.

Let you come and enjoy hundreds restaurants with various kinds of tempura, you will have a memorable experience with special food in our country.

4. Sashimi

Sashimi is renown as one of the most popular food in Japan. Not only seafood, but some kinds of meat such as beef, deer, horse are also ingredients of sashimi. Its formula is slicing thinly a piece of raw food. If look through, some people mix sashimi up with sushi because of the same raw food piece. But be hold. Sushi has vinegared rice while sashimi doesn’t.

Sashimi is available in many menus but most popular at Izakaya. The slides of sashimi display along a bed of shredded daikon with some shiso leaves.

One important spicy is soy sauce. Like tempura, sashimi need be dipped before eating. Depend on each appetite, we change flexibility our dishes, such as pour more soy sauce or add some herbs.

5. Tea

In the 8th century, the first time tea is appeared in Japan for priests and noblemen as medicinal beverage.

Suffered several periods, tea has become more popular and spread for all classes across Japan. Now, Japanese still keep their tradition that some tea ceremonies are held for particular purposes.

Tea is one of common beverage in Japan and it is usually served for tourists in almost restaurants, at quiet tatami room and immerse to picturesque landscape. Ryokucha and matcha are more familiar with tourists, and so do several Asia countries.

6. Alcoholic Beverages

There are diverse beverages in Japan that is a significant role in parties or some activities. They are sold in almost stores, supermarkets as well as vending machines. People who are greater or equal 20 years old can use this kind of beverage because of safety and health.

This kind of beverage is unusual for being served for yourself; it is advised to be served for others. When some one tend to serve you, let he or she pours to your hand cup, and it is polite if you take a drink before putting it down. Other conventions are explored more profoundly if you join our particular parties.

Some popular alcoholic beverages are:

Beer

Like many countries, beer is one of the favorite beverages in Japan. There are many local beers are Asahi, Kirin, Suntory and Sapporo.

Happoshu

Its another name is sparkling alcohol. Its smell and alcohol content as beer are alike, but it has lighter flavor. Because of lower tax, Happoshu is cheaper than beer.

Third beer

It is the infant industry in producing beer. Its ingredients have pea, soya, wheat spirits instead of malt.

Rice Wine

Is known as “sake” in some foreign countries, the main combination of rice, water, white koji mold is brewed. It is produced by not only the major brand but also other places.